Starting Android App Development

So you want to develop cool applications or games for Android. We will go through some of the basic stuff to get you started in this post.

Things you need (aside from a computer and maybe an android device)

• Knowledge in Java
  
  To create native Android apps, those normal apps that you download from Android Market and use on your phone, you need to know Java.
  
• Android SDK + IDE
  
  To begin with native app development, first download Android's SDK and a suitable IDE (integrated development environment) to help you compile and test your code on the android emulator. IDEs that support android development would include Eclipse and Netbeans.
  
  Check out android dev website for more details.
  
  OR
  
• Knowledge in Web Programming
  
  With Phone Gap, an alternative you can consider would be creating HTML5 apps. Javascript is necessary for to call Phone Gap's API to access the phone's hardware features.
  
  Be warned, the features are limited as compared to native apps. Such apps are usually geared towards mobile websites with an app feel with more functionality.